Looking after your feet

This may sound a bit mad, but I really worry about lolitas and their feet. I see pictures of lolita closets and a lot of the shoes don't look very comfortable. Then I hear from people who moan that their shoes don't fit but they still wear them! I myself have had some foot problems. Before I was into lolita I used to be into punk fashion (in fact, 70's punk is still my favourite music). When I was 16 I decided to treat myself to some new clothes because I was entering 6th form. I hated my school uniform and now I could wear whatever I wanted. Part of this shopping binge was a pair of New Rock boots. These ones to be exact-

My mum had a massive go at me for buying these. She thought they were too expensive and they were not very practical. I ended up wearing these New Rocks to 6th form almost every single day. You know what? My mum was right and now I have problems walking long distances. It is fine when I am going about my daily business but if I am going to London for the day or if I am wearing my lolita platforms, my feet really hurt.

And so I am writing this post as a warning against foot abuse! Here are a few tips I have come up with-

1. Make sure you order the right size

This sounds really obvious but I still keep seeing posts with girls complaining they got the wrong size shoes. I think part of the problem is that some size conversion charts get it wrong. So it is important that you don't rely on these charts. If you live outside of Japan but are ordering from a Japanese website, order using your Japanese shoe size and not your European/English/American size. How? Finding out your Japanese shoe size is very easy. All you need to do is measure your feet in centimetres. My feet are 25cm long so I order a size 25 (or a 250 as it sometimes appears).

2. Use insoles if needed

So if you followed my advice from point one and you still don't think the shoes fit very well. If they are too big you could use insoles so they are not too loose. If your shoes are too small you only really have 2 options- a refund (if they are offered) or reselling them. Don't expect to get the full amount back that you paid for them even if they are brand new. It is really frustrating but please don't squeeze your feet into them. You may regret it.

3. Use plasters with new shoes

When you are breaking in new shoes there is a chance you may end up with some blisters. When I wear new shows I place plasters on areas where I think I may get blisters. I usually put one around my little toe and one on the back of my ankle. The reason I do this is not just to avoid blisters. Imagine you are wearing your favourite brand socks. Ideally you do not want to be getting blood all over them just in case they get stained. So I use plasters to save my socks as well as my feet.

4. Use shoe cushions

Sometimes when I know I have a really long day of walking ahead of me, I will insert some shoe cushions to relieve the pressure. I use Scholl Party Feet which in the UK are very easy to find. I have seen them in chemists, supermarkets and you can find them online.

5. Own at least one pair of flat shoes

You should probably give yourself a break from heels some of the time. You can find some really pretty flats. Be careful with ballet pumps because some styles have no sole on them and these can actually damage your feet too.

6. Practise walking in platforms of rocking horse shoes

Looking at the rocking horse shoe picture at the top, you will notice that the front of the shoe rises and at the back a part of the heel is cut out. It is not just these shoes that have this style of heel on them and they may be more common than you think. I have a pair of platforms like this and I know how awkward they can be. You can't put too much pressure on the front because you may end up unbalancing and falling flat on your face.

7. Check online to see if shoes have been reviewed

If you really like a pair of shoes have a look online to see if anybody else has purchased them. You may not be able to find a review of the exact pair but you will usually find lolitas commenting on how comfortable a certain brand's shoes are in general. There is a chance that you will find conflicting opinions but try and see if the general response is more postive or negative.

8. Give your feet a treat

Occasionally I like to pamper my feet. Foot scrubs are good for removing the dead skin. Like the shoe cushions, I use a scrub by Scholl. You could also cover your feet with lotion and put some old socks on when you go to bed to help soften your feet.

If you develop problems with your feet then you will notice it. It is painful and can have a massive impact on your day to day life. I can understand people wanting to wear heels because my height is average so sometimes I want a boost. Just remember that prevention is better than cure and if you start to feel pain, give your feet a rest.